Riding high: combine surf and turf in south-west France

For an action-packed trip of beach breaks and mountain trails, head to France’s southern Atlantic coast

For a French holiday combining surf and Alpine turf without having to drive too far between destinations, head for southwest France. Hossegor, near Biarritz on the Atlantic coast, is the surf capital of France, and a destination for beginners and experts alike. Some 170km inland is the 19th-century spa resort of Luz-Saint-Sauveur, around 30km south of Lourdes in the Hautes-Pyrénées. The charming village makes a great base for exploring the mountains, on foot or, better still, by e-bike, as well as canyoning, whitewater rafting, horse riding or zip-lining.

I came up with this solution for my own family holiday. Our sons wanted to surf and all four of us wanted to explore the outdoors in the Hautes-Pyrénées.